Cambridge IELTS 15 · General Training · Test 4 · Section 3
Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong, Cambridge IELTS 15 General Training Reading Test 4 Section 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong answer key at a glance
Questions 28–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this section tests
This section is tested with Summary Completion (Q28–32), Matching Features (Q33–37), One Choice (Q38–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 28–32: Summary Completion
Strategy: Read the summary as a paragraph first to establish the logic, then locate the missing idea in the passage. With a lettered list, confirm the grammar fits.
“Wolves live in tight-knit social groups that are regulated by strict rules”
Wolf packs are 'regulated by strict rules', so the plural noun rules completes the summary.
“Wolves also demonstrate fairness. During play, dominant wolves will appear to exchange roles with lower-ranking wolves”
'Wolves also demonstrate fairness' supplies the noun fairness as the quality shown during play.
“During play, dominant wolves will appear to exchange roles with lower-ranking wolves. They pretend to be submissive”
Dominant wolves 'pretend to be submissive', so the adjective submissive describes their role reversal.
“During play, dominant wolves will appear to exchange roles with lower-ranking wolves. They pretend to be submissive and go so far as to allow biting by the lower-ranking wolves, provided it is not too hard”
They 'allow biting by the lower-ranking wolves, provided it is not too hard', so biting is the permitted action.
“Astonishingly, if an animal becomes aggressive, it will perform a play bow' to ask forgiveness before play resumes”
An aggressive animal performs a play bow 'to ask forgiveness before play resumes', so forgiveness fits.
Questions 33–37: Matching Features
Strategy: Match the statement to the named person or thing. Names can repeat, so check each option against what that person actually says.
coyotes
“Among coyotes, cubs which are too aggressive are ignored by the rest of the group and often end up having to leave entirely”
E: among coyotes, 'cubs which are too aggressive are ignored ... and often end up having to leave entirely'.
domestic dogs
“Experiments with domestic dogs, where one animal was given some sweets and another wasn't, have shown that they possess a sense of fairness as they allowed their companion to eat some”
C: dogs showed 'a sense of fairness as they allowed their companion to eat some' of the sweets.
elephants
“In 2003, a herd of 11 elephants rescued antelopes which were being held inside an enclosure in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa”
G: 'a herd of 11 elephants rescued antelopes' held in an enclosure, an act of helping another species.
Diana monkeys
“A laboratory experiment involved training Diana monkeys to insert a token into a slot to obtain food. A male who had become skilled at the task was found to be helping the oldest female, who had not learned how to do it”
D: a skilled male Diana monkey was 'helping the oldest female, who had not learned how to do it'.
rats
“In lab tests, rats were given food which then caused a second group of rats to receive an electric shock. The rats with the food stopped eating rather than see this happen”
F: rats 'stopped eating rather than see' another group receive electric shocks, showing concern for others.
Questions 38–40: One Choice
Strategy: Read the question stem and predict the answer before looking at the options. Wrong options often repeat passage words while the correct one paraphrases them.
What view is expressed by Professor de Waal?
- AApes have advanced ideas about the difference between good and evil.
- BThe social manners of some animals prove that they are highly moral.
- CSome human moral beliefs developed from our animal ancestors.correct
- DThe desire to live in peace with others is a purely human quality.
“Human morality was not formed from scratch, but grew out of our primate psychology”
C: 'Human morality ... grew out of our primate psychology', so some human moral beliefs derive from animal ancestors.
Why does Professor Bekoff mention the experiment on Diana monkeys?
- AIt shows that this species of monkey is not very easy to train.
- BIt confirms his view on the value of research into certain monkeys.
- CIt proves that female monkeys are generally less intelligent than males.
- DIt illustrates a point he wants to make about monkeys and other creatures.correct
“Professor Bekoff argues that this is a clear example of an animal's actions being driven by some internal moral compass”
D: Bekoff calls the monkey's help 'a clear example of an animal's actions being driven by some internal moral compass'.
What does the writer find most surprising about chimpanzees?
- AThey can suffer from some of the same illnesses as humans.
- BThey appear to treat disabled peers with consideration.correct
- CThey have sets of social conventions that they follow.
- DThe males can be quite destructive at times.
“What is extraordinary is that scientists have observed other chimpanzees interacting with him differently and he is rarely subjected to intimidating displays of aggression from older males”
B: what is 'extraordinary' is that other chimpanzees interact differently with the disabled male and rarely threaten him, showing consideration.
Learn the question types in this section
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong passage come from?
It is Section 3 of Cambridge IELTS 15 General Training Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 28–40.
What question types appear in Animals Can Tell Right From Wrong?
The section is tested with Summary Completion, Matching Features, One Choice. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.